The organizers of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad have announced the course for the 2015 edition of the race. The event will follow a very traditional format but includes an extra climb compared to last year.

Next year Omloop Het Nieuwsblad will have an extra climb compared to the 2014 edition which was won by Ian Stannard ahead of Greg Van Avermaet. The new climb in the Kaperij in Maarkedal.

The Kaperij is 1000m long and has a maximum gradient of 9% and an average gradient of 5.5%. The locals also know the climb as the Bosgat.

The 70th edition of the opening race of the Belgian season the Berendries in Michelbeke which has been under road construction, will replace Hostellerie as climb number two. The latter will no longer feature on the course. In total, the riders will do 11 climb instead of 10 when they tackle the race on Saturday, February 28.

"Course designer Peter Van Petegem has retained the typical concept of the Omloop," race director Wim Van Herreweghe tells Het Nieuwsblad. "That means three passages of the Haaghoek couple. A circuit around Geraardsbergen, a circuit around Ronse and then the final circuit. In the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, we always go for a course with a helling followed by a pavé sector. Donderij, Holleweg, Paddestraat, Lippenhovenstraat and Lange Munte are the best known sectors. The finish remains on the St. Peter's Square in Ghent."

The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad will have a total distance of 202km

The eleven climbs are the Leberg (63 km), the Berendries (67 km), the Muur (83 km), the Valkenberg (102 km), the Kaperij(120 km), the Kruisberg (132 km), the Taaienberg (142 km), the Eikenberg (147 km), the Wolvenberg(150 km), the Leberg again (160 km) and the Molenberg (166 km).